Eliza arrived at the pub just after six in the evening. The cold October air had accompanied her throughout the journey, and now, crossing the threshold, she felt the immediate contrast of the place's welcoming warmth. The pub had that unmistakable London bar style: exposed brick walls, warm lighting, and an atmosphere that seemed to whisper secrets in every corner. The background music was low enough not to compete with the laughter and murmur of conversations. Eliza took a deep breath, letting the aroma of old wood, beer, and spices envelop her. There was something comforting about this place, though she couldn't help feeling a slight tingle of nervousness in her stomach.
She had opted for a simple outfit: fitted black jeans, a white blouse, and a blue denim jacket that was slightly too big for her, but which she loved for its comfort. Her white Adidas were somewhat worn, but they were her favorites, they brought her luck—or at least that's what she believed. Her wavy blonde hair fell loose just to the beginning of her backside; it was her pride. She wore hardly any makeup, except for a touch of mascara that highlighted her blue eyes. As she scanned the place, she looked for her friends among the tables filled with lively groups and couples whispering confidences to each other. Finally, she saw them at a table in the back, along with two guys she didn't recognize. One of them wore a black leather jacket that seemed to shine under the warm ceiling lights.
Eliza walked toward the table with determined steps, although she could feel her heart beating a bit faster than normal. As she approached, her eyes met those of the blond guy. It was just a moment, barely a blink, but enough for a strange sensation to course through her body. His eyes were such a deep blue that they seemed to contain unfathomable secrets. His blond hair had golden highlights that shimmered under the dim pub light, and his skin was as pale as porcelain. For a fleeting instant, Eliza felt a pang of bewilderment. If she didn't know she was an only child, she could have sworn that this guy could pass for her brother. There was something unsettling about the way his gaze fixed on hers; it was as if he was studying her too, as if he knew something she didn't.
"Eliza!" Amanda's cheerful voice broke the spell of the moment. Her friend greeted her with a radiant smile while gesturing for her to come over. "Look, these are Damian and Caleb. They're also from the faculty."
Eliza nodded with a shy smile and murmured a brief "hello." Her voice sounded weaker than she would have liked, but she couldn't help it; she still felt the weight of the blond guy's gaze upon her.
"Pleasure," said Damian as he rose from his seat with graceful movements and pulled out a chair next to him for Eliza to sit. There was something almost theatrical about his gesture, a courtesy that seemed from another era.
She took her seat with a slight nod of thanks. As she did so, she noticed that Caleb's hands were surprisingly pale, almost translucent under the pub light. A shiver ran down her spine for no apparent reason, but she tried to ignore it.
"Have you heard the news?" Marco's deep voice interrupted the moment as he handed her a cold beer.
Eliza accepted the bottle with an automatic smile, though her mind was still trapped in the mystery of Damian. Why did she feel this strange connection to him? And more disturbing still, why did he seem so comfortable with it?
"No, what happened?" asked Amanda while fidgeting with the rim of her glass.
Marco leaned forward, lowering his voice as if he were about to share a forbidden secret.
"They say they found something in the lake near campus," he murmured, looking at each of them with a serious expression.
Eliza felt how the atmosphere at the table changed instantly. The music and laughter of the pub seemed to fade into the background as everyone present leaned slightly toward Marco, expectantly.
"What did they find?" asked the young man with almost black brown eyes named Caleb, with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.
Marco made a dramatic pause before answering.
"A body," he finally said. "A girl. Nobody knows who she is yet."
Eliza felt a shiver run down her spine. The news was shocking, but what really disturbed her was the way Damian reacted upon hearing it. While everyone else showed expressions of surprise or horror, he simply smiled. It wasn't a wide or obvious smile; it was just a slight movement at the corners of his lips, but enough to make her shudder.
"How terrible," Amanda murmured as she placed a hand on her chest. "Do we know anything else?"
Marco shook his head.
"Just rumors for now. They say it was an accident, but there are also those who think there might be something more behind it."
Eliza noticed that Damian turned his head slightly toward her, as if he were waiting for her reaction. His blue eyes seemed to glow with an almost unnatural intensity under the pub lights.
"What do you think?" he finally asked, addressing Eliza for the first time.
His voice was soft but firm, with a tone that seemed to slide directly into her deepest thoughts. Eliza swallowed before responding.
"I don't know... It's horrible to think that something like that could happen so close," she finally said, trying to maintain her composure.
He nodded slowly, as if evaluating her response.
"Yes, it's horrible, but also fascinating, don't you think?" he murmured, leaning slightly toward her.
Eliza felt her heart skip a beat. There was something in the way he said it, in the way his words seemed to caress the air between them, that caused a knot in her stomach. She wasn't sure if it was fear or something else.
The conversation continued around the table, but Eliza could barely concentrate on what the others were saying. Her senses were hypersensitive; the touch of cold glass against her fingers as she held the beer bottle; the distant murmur of the bar; the nearby warmth of Damian's body next to hers. Every now and then he would make some casual comment or cast a fleeting glance in her direction, and each time Eliza felt as if the whole world vanished for an instant.
When they finally decided to leave, Amanda and Marco walked ahead of the group, exchanging small cuddles and complicit laughter. Caleb walked alongside Eliza while Damian stayed one step behind them, silent but present. His shadow seemed to elongate under the flickering streetlights.
"Where are you from, Eliza?" Caleb asked casually as they walked along the cobblestone streets.
Eliza appreciated the question; talking to Caleb gave her a respite from Damian's unsettling magnetism.
"San Diego," she replied with a small smile. "And you guys?"
Caleb exchanged a quick glance with Damian before answering.
"We're from here, from this city," said Caleb as a brief laugh escaped from Damian's lips.
Eliza noticed that laugh and couldn't help feeling a twinge of discomfort. There was something in it that sounded almost mocking, though she couldn't be sure.
"Your parents?" Damian then asked, his voice soft but filled with genuine interest.
Eliza lowered her gaze slightly before answering.
"It's just my mother and me," she said quietly. "My father died before I was born. We've always lived with my grandparents."
Damian nodded slowly, as if carefully processing each word. There was something unsettling about the way he listened, as if every detail about her was important to him for some reason beyond her comprehension.
"It must have been difficult growing up without your father," Damian commented after a moment.
Eliza looked at him cautiously. There was something strange in his tone; it wasn't exactly compassion that he conveyed, but rather... curiosity. As if he were trying to understand something about her that went beyond words.
"It was," she finally admitted, though she wasn't sure why she felt the need to be honest with him.
The conversation drifted to lighter topics as they continued walking together through the deserted streets. However, Eliza couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed that night. Not just because of the news about the body found in the lake, but because of the way Damian always seemed to be one step ahead, always watching her as if he knew something she didn't yet understand.
When they finally reached the intersection where they had to part ways, Damian stopped and gave her one last intense look.
"See you soon, Eliza," he said simply before disappearing into the night alongside Caleb.
Eliza stood there for a moment, watching as the shadows completely engulfed them. The night air was laden with humidity and mystery, and although she tried to convince herself that everything was fine, she couldn't ignore the slight trembling in her hands or the strange emptiness she felt in her chest.